XXX

Kisame Hoshigaki

Sunlight was beginning to poke through the holes in the rooftiles when Itachi finally began to stir. Kisame, sitting on a quaint wooden chair next to the rugged bed, looked up from his food with some relief. "Itachi, what a sight."

Although the other tensed as soon as heard movement, his body relaxed as soon as he heard his partner speak. "Kisame. I take it Zetsu reached you in time?"

"Well if he hadn't, I highly doubt we would be speaking." Kisame frowned; there was no sense in hiding his displeasure. "Not that it would have done you any good if I hadn't always observed what you did. Those capsules you said were food pills... they were to treat whatever illness you have, weren't they?" When Itachi offered no response, Kisame continued with a growling tone. "You could've just told me something was wrong with you, you know. That way this all could have been avoided... perhaps I even could've found a way to treat you!"

"Come now, Kisame," Itachi said weakly from the bed. He did not move, only continuing to look up at the faint sunlight with his dark eyes. "You're no medical-nin. Telling you I was in such a condition would not have changed anything."

"Not have changed anything? So what if you had fallen sick in battle before I had figured out there was something wrong with you? Did you expect the Buddha himself to have come and save you?!"

"No. I would have died."

Kisame put a sharp-nailed hand to his temple and rubbed it with irritation. Another snap. Four left. He placed his food on the table and stood up. "Well, you're stabilized," he said shortly. "So now that you're awake, I think I'm going to take a walk."

"Wait."

He stopped with hand on the brass doorknob. Ah, so now you want to talk. But how much of what you tell me now will be true, and how much will be withheld as another secret?

"Yes?"

Itachi leaned up, holding his stomach with his ringed hand. "Thank you, Kisame," he said calmly, looking at his tall partner. "As I said, had this occurred any time before you had studied me, I would have perished. But I knew that you always observed me, and in that I trusted that if the time came, you would be able to respond appropriately. I have my reasons for not telling you... but you found out anyway. I appreciate that."

His hand on the doorknob fell away, and Kisame exhaled hard. "Yeah, well, it was a close thing."

The other nodded. "And so it was. But I am still alive, and that means there is still work to be done."

Kisame sighed. "You're in no condition to go fighting right now. What does that medicine do for you, anyway? Because you still look exhausted after three days."

Itachi blinked. "I was out for three days? And you watched over me like this?"

"When I was not out getting food, yes."

For a moment, Itachi seemed actually at a loss for words and his eyes softened. But then he was pushing his bottom half out of the sheets and rising to his own two feet. He seemed hesitant at first, but within a few moments he was standing straight and proud like usual. For how long can he hold that up, before that medicine stops working?

"Where are we?"

Kisame crossed his arms, leaning against the rotting door. "An old shack on the outskirts from where we originally parted ways. I figured you needed a secluded area to rest after I finally saw you."

"What of Sasuke's companions?"

"Dispersed. After Zetsu told me what was going on, his Black half cut in and gave them directions to a meetup point. Probably to eat them."

Itachi picked his Akatsuki cloak off and began putting it on while his face adopted the intense look it did when his mind was working fast. Kisame noticed that as he pushed his arms through the long sleeves, he winched in slight pain. "Your medicine?" Kisame prompted again.

"A temporary solution," the other replied steadily. "I know of an old medicine woman in the Land of Fire who creates the mixture for me. Neither of us know what the disease is, but it slowly rots my instead. The capsule doesn't stop the wasting, but it slows it down enough that I'm not affected for a while."

"There was only one left. We'll have to get more."

The black and red cloak folded over the other neatly. "No time. I know where Black Zetsu was taking Sasuke's companions. Do you know where they went?"

Kisame gave a grizzly laugh. "What does it matter to you? Don't tell me you're already wanting to finish your deathmatch with your dear little brother?"

But to his surprise, the Uchiha shook his raven-colored head. "No. It's... Tobi. He has my brother."

Again Kisame let loose a laugh, a much looser one- there was no way he had heard the other correctly. "Tobi? Our friend in the orange mask? Deidara's bumbling partner? That Tobi? You have to be kidding me, what interest would he even have in that twerp?"

"It's... complicated. Where did they go?"

The laughing subsided quickly. "Now see here, Itachi," Kisame growled, pointing an accusing finger. "For a long time I've followed your example. Even when you were just a boy back then, I followed your lead because I thought we had a mutual understanding as members of the Akatsuki, as missing-nin. But now I find you've been holding secrets from me-"

"If you already had figured it out-"

"Do you not realize what world we live in?" Kisame demanded incredulously. His blood was boiling now, and on his back Samehada wriggled in sync. He forced his temper down beneath the surface and continued in a more leveled tone. "Secrets run the world; they're why we're here at all. I found out shinobi were selfish and only put themselves first rather than their countrymen, and you likewise found out there were hidden meanings behind your Sharingan, and so you killed your clan to uncover them." Kisame narrowed his small eyes. "That is the truth, right?"

"Yes," Itachi said with no hesitation. Kisame looked at him pointedly, but the other's poker face remained something the Kirigakure-nin still could not decipher. Although he suspected deception, Itachi claimed he was still telling the truth on that matter.

He continued: "As missing-nin, we have no place in that sort of world any more. There ought to be no secrets between shinobi like us; as we have lost everything already, we have no reason to hold anything back from the other. We may be shinobi operating in the shadows against others, but unless we trust each other fully, knowing there is nothing clouding how we operate, then we are not a team. Do you see what I'm getting at?"

Itachi remained impassive, but he dipped his head slightly. "Very well. The truth, then."

"Tobi is Madara Uchiha."

Kisame did a double take, then raised another accusatory finger. "The truth, I said!"

"I gave it," Itachi said, and he said it with such a rare dark tone that Kisame understood there was truly no jest with what he said.

Madara Uchiha... he who manipulated the Fourth Mizukage and confronted me after I slew the betrayer Fuguki. The mastermind behind the turmoil of my homeland... and...

"The Eye of the Moon," Kisame murmured aloud.

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "The what?"

Once more, Kisame crossed his arms. "What do you want with Madara?" he asked pointedly. It was not a secret, he told himself, to not tell Itachi what he knew yet. He would- after hearing his partner's objectives.

Itachi grimaced, but he spoke smoothly. "He... helped me kill my Clan. He is a dangerous individual who misled me. He cannot be trusted, regardless of what he has told you in the past."

"Wha- what makes you think we've spoken before?"

"You tensed up as soon as I mentioned his name, and dropped the name of something I've never heard of as soon I spoke it."

I suppose this is why I always considered you the smarter one of us both, Kisame thought, disgruntled. "Yes, we've met before. What does it matter, and why are you so concerned that he has your little brother now?"

"I... cannot say."

His temper flashed. "Itachi-"

"Kisame!" Itachi's sharp tone startled the other into a silence; just like his darker tone, it was rare the other ever got agitated. When he did, there was some compelling force behind it to listen. "I know what you have said, and where you stand on secrets. But please, believe me when I say with every moment we spent talking here, valuable time is passing. Madara believes me dead, and so he has no reason to suspect our approach. They will not stay there forever, though, and so we must catch them before we lose the trail entirely. Now, do you know where they went?"

"Will you swear to tell me what is so important about your brother when we catch up to Madara, then?"

Itachi hesitated, but then nodded his head gently. "I do."

"Hmph." Kisame uncrossed his arms and swung the rotting door wide open. The sunlight dazzled him briefly, but his acute eyes adjusted swiftly. "I hate it when you're like this. But fine, I'll hold you to your word. They spoke of a small cave about half-a-day's journey from the Uchiha Hideout. But shouldn't we get you new medicine before then?"

The other shook his head as he existed the ruined house behind him. "There is no time. Right now... there is nothing more important than getting to Sasuke."

XXX

Itachi Uchiha

Damn that Madara. There was no way to suspect he would intervene as he did... at least this supports the theory he and Zetsu are in league. Ever since they introduced him as that foolish persona of his, I should have guessed it.

His and Kisame's feet touched lightly down on one of the many tree branches they soared through, before they lifted off it to the next. Bounding on one after another, deeper into the local forest until they passed through it to the other side...

Where, hopefully, Sasuke was still with Madara.

No, ever since Zetsu reported Sasuke's battle with Naruto. Has Madara been eyeing him all this time, as a new tool? Itachi grimaced, but it was more out of the slowly returning pain in his stomach. One capsule usually lasted him for three hours of vigorous activity, and double that if he did not exert himself too hard. But pushing his body to as fast as it could go to make a half-day journey only five hours was not helping either case.

Perhaps I should have heeded Kisame's advice. He only means well. He glanced at his teammate, gliding right alongside him through the woodland. Kisame had been noticeably silent for most of the journey, save for directional changes; Itachi's tracking expertise with the ANBU had long dried up. But there was usually some sort of conversation between them as they journeyed, whether it be about their mission or Kisame usual sarcastic banter about the other Akatsuki or some thing or other.

There had been some shifts in Kisame in recent times, Itachi thought lightly. They seemed to start with the death of Sasori, and the mood had somewhat darkened with the loss of Hidan and Kakuzu. Right before his intended match with Sasuke, when Deidara and Tobi's deaths had been reported as well, he had seemed outright depressed.

Itachi did not exactly care for the rest of the organization; he had been here to spy primarily and aid it second. Deidara's aggression, Hidan's bloodlust, and Zetsu's depravity had never attracted him, and the Leader's mysterious yet humble persona had seemed such an alien presence in a den of murderers that the Uchiha could not find calm in his presence either. His first partner, Juzo, had been a barbaric but surprisingly patient man, while Orochimaru had been nothing short of unpleasant.

It wasn't until Kisame that he felt any sort of kinship within the organization, even if he was intent on keeping the man at arms length.

He smirked, recalling their first rather rivalrous encounter. Itachi, playing the role of a sociopathic murderer, Kisame distrustful and reluctant to work alongside other shinobi ever again. How things had changed since then between them, even if Itachi continued to withhold massive parts of who he was from the other.

But he has not been the same with me. He has always been open and trusting with when he speaks, and asked I be the same way in kind. Not to gain any sort of leverage over me, but to establish a rapport. A bond, however disjointed it is between men of our status. But a bond, nonetheless. The smirk faded. Yet, I will never have the luxury of trusting him the same way.

"Something the matter?" Kisame had finally broken the silence.

"Hmm?"

"I saw you smiling at nothing, and then just as suddenly you stopped. What is it?"

"I'm hoping Sasuke will still be there," Itachi replied; only a half-lie.

Kisame grunted. "I suppose I'll find out soon enough why that kid is so important to you, but... I suppose I already have my own guess."

Itachi's eyes flashed to the other, but he offered nothing in reply. I know he's always been incredibly observant of his surroundings being one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, but did he really guess our relations, too? This is dangerous, I can't take him on in a serious battle like this-

"Leaving a job undone, no matter how gruesome it is, just doesn't sit right, does it?" Kisame said matter-of-factly, ducking his head below an interloping branch. "I know the feeling. Even if it's just one man- or, kid, in your case- it can't be left unfinished. Once you've started something, you finish it. Hehe, I didn't know you were so much for theatrics you had to create an entire deathmatch to finish the job, though."

He relaxed, but a twinge of guilt ran up his spine. To him, I'm still the manic killer of my Clan. That was easy to maintain in the past, but with Madara openly getting involved, with what he knows...

The other was still talking. "It's like a mission for a village when you think about it. You go to any lengths to complete it, sacrificing what makes us people to get the job done. That's what we were brought up to train for and believe. Right?"

"Right."

"No, not right." Kisame glanced over at him. "Do you remember when we originally went after that Nine-Tails kid?"

"I do." Itachi suddenly understood where this was going and put a wall of iron behind his voice. "There was no sense if exerting ourselves too hard at the time, especially when having to hold onto Naruto for three or more years would prove troublesome for-"

"It's not just that, Itachi. Yes, we held back and didn't complete that main objective. Rightfully so; if we continued against that oaf Jiraiya, it is almost likely we would have been killed. We're not obligated to lay down our lives for the mission- one of the benefits of being a missing-nin, I suppose. But no, I was referring to your struggle with your little brother."

His guard went up a little bit again. "What do you mean, Kisame?"

"I mean at no point did Sasuke pose any danger to you or I. You negated his attack so effortlessly, and when you had him cornered at the end, every part of me was assuming you would kill him. Complete your mission. There was nothing to hold you back. But you didn't, did you?" The next five branches jumped in silence, and Itachi felt a danger impulse. But in his weakened state, was it from Kisame or something else?

"Kisame, wait-"

"You tortured your little brother with the Tsukuyomi, when he was literally in the palm of your hand; and you don't torture, Itachi Uchiha. You let him use for a grand showdown... when you're never one for theatrics. You're as shinobi ought to be- efficient, silent, uncompromising. Except for this one mission you made for yourself." Even in Kisame's voice, it sounded like the puzzle was coming together. "So just tell me this, right now... what is Sasuke to you?"

Itachi stopped jumping the branches, and Kisame came to a halt two ahead of him. "You know I can't tell you this right now," Itachi said slowly, but his eyes were looking around the woodland. Something else is here, closing in on us. How did we not detect them earlier? He grit his teeth in his mouth. Clumsy, and a delay.

His partner was indignant. "I see nothing what I said before really landed," Kisame replied coolly. "We've always been fairly open with each other, Itachi. Or, I thought we were, but more and more lately it seems only I have been the one revealing my true self. How can I be sure you are who you say you are now?"

"Kisame."

"No, you don't get to dodge me any longer! Now you listen-"

Samehada was off of Kisame's back in a blur that, were not for Itachi's equally rapid activation of the Sharingan, would have been like two separate frames of a runny movie. His assailant lacked neither of the Akatsuki's skills and took the force fully: they were jettisoned into one of the nearby tree trunks with enough force to topple the old wood.

So, he knew. He was just luring them into a trap. Itachi jumped a branch over to get to Kisame, but stopped there; the kunai that had been sent from behind him zipped by him with plenty of room to spare. Pausing, he glanced over at the broken body in the trunk. But before he could get a closer look, it was gone in a puff of smoke: a Shadow Clone. They were careful.

"Your element of surprise is gone," Kisame called out, sweeping Samehada before him gloatingly. "Did you think we'd really turn on each other so easily? That's just sloppy. No more shadowing us; it's time to show yourselves."

Surrounding them in every direction, nine shapes dropped down from the branches. Itachi's eyes glanced over each of them in turn, drinking in the details. White cloaks with two red stripes to hide their identity from a far-away glance, but up close and with the Sharingan...

"I would prefer we don't fight right now," Itachi said to the one on the branch right in front of him, recognizing the upright white hair from the defeated shadow clone. "Your timing could not be any more intrusive."

"Sorry," came the all-too familiar dry tone of Kakashi Hatake, moving his gleaming Konoha head-band up and over his telltale red eye. "We must have missed the invitation. Don't worry, we'll be sure to get this over with as quickly as possible."